This invention relates to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to an arrangement for securing an electrical connector to a printed circuit board.
There are numerous ways of securing an electrical connector to a printed circuit board. For example, the connector can be formed with mounting flanges having bores which align with corresponding openings in the printed circuit board. Threaded fasteners can then be extended through the bores and openings for securement of the connector. While effective for securement, this technique has disadvantages from at least the standpoints of component part count and assembly time.
As an alternative to the aforementioned, there have been developed arrangements whereby a generally planar barbed holding device secured to the connector is inserted into a circuit board opening. U.S. Pat. No. 4,907,987 discloses such an arrangement wherein a holding device is extended through an opening in a connector mounting flange and is secured thereto by an interference fit. This holding device is inserted into the mounting flange from the side of the flange which is remote from the circuit board. The end of the holding device extending out from the mounting flange on the side abutting the circuit board has spring means with barbs thereon which engage the walls of the circuit board opening. The present invention is concerned with an improved holding device which is inserted into an appropriate recess in a mounting portion from the same side as the circuit board. With such an arrangement, it is important that the holding device be inserted the proper distance into the recess and at the same time have a stable orientation. It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide an arrangement which satisfies these requirements.